Tape casing



July 3l, 1928.

TAPE CASING Filed Jan. 29, 192s NATHAN H.5H1LLMAN V'torvuay.j

Passau .my 31, was.

, UNITED STATES PATENT voFFlclf..

Appunti ma mm1-y sa, 1m. sena n. susa.

This invention relates to for l measuring tapes and more partlcularly to casinvs' for use in connection with that typ: of thm steel aduated tape .adapted to 5 wound on a rum in the casing for use 1n sounding the depth of tanksnwells and the like containing oil or similar llqulds, and for general use 'm the field.

In sounding oil tanks or tanks containing l similar liquids and in all field work there 1s necessaril other suc deposit on the tape line. Not only does this result `in an unclean tape quickly susceptible to rust and defacement l of the graduation marks, but it also results frequently in broken tapes. To avo1d these unsatisfactory conditions it becomes necessary to wipe the tap as it is drawn into its casmg or frame. eretofore it had been the practice to lso wipe the tape as 1t 1s drawn in a few feet at a. time. This, however, proved cumbersome and entirely unsatisfactory both from the point of speed as well as eiciencv. As a result a casing such as is described in the applicants Patent 1,485,634, March 4, 1924, was developed.`

The present application is for improvements in the patented struct-ure.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is the provision of a casing which, while it is adapted to completely house the tape, at the same time facilitates ready removal and replacement -of the ta or any part ofthe interior structure of t e casing.

a5 A further object of the invention is theV provision of an improved rotary crank and winding, drum detachably mounted within the casing and adapted to have wound thereon the measuring tape.

40 A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improved wiping means for cleaning the tapeas it is wound upon the crank element` this wiping means taking the form of a stuiiing box arranged at the,`

entrance into the casing. A still further object is the provision of a pair of wiping blocks arranged for relative adjustment toward and away fromeach other by means of which a greater or less degree. of pressure may be imparted tothe tape as it passes between them, thus assisting not only in the wiping process but also materially effecting a braking action on the tape to preclude a too ra id winding where- 55 by there is insured a uni orm tension on the tape as it is wound upon thewmdmg drum.

left a film ofv oil or moisture or I A 'still further ob'ect is the provision of an improved form o retaining means in the nature of a yoke for maintainingv the separable parts of the casing in closed position.

A still further object is the provision of an improved handle for the casin this handle being pivotally secured at the ingedv 'end of the caslng and adapted to be securely held in position bymeans of the yoke embracing the entrance to the casing.

iOther objects of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter.- v

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the device showing the relative arrangement of the casing. the winding drum to which the tape is attached and the wiping blocks.

Fig. 2 is a top view ofthe device'with a part of the casing removed to show the manner of seating the crank element and winding drum therein.

Fig. 3 is a view of the entrance end of the casing, part of the handle being broken off.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the casing elements including the locking yoke and the handle.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the rotary crank element and the winding drum.

The same part is designated by the same i reference numeral whenever throughout the several views. Y

A characteristic feature of the device is that the casing can readily be opened or it occurs closed and the component parts easilv takenapart and then reassembled. `No tool other than a screw driver or other similar device is necessary to accomplish this. The casing is constructed in two halves. substantially duplicates, which are closed diametrically to form the whole,- this beingeected bv hingingthe two halves at one end and'b'v. the pro--v vision of a yoke and set screw locking device at the other end'. The casing has a central opening, formingtwo bearings'of unequal diameters, in which is seated-the rotary crank element and the winding drum. p

It is to be noted asof particular moment in this case that the rotary crank lelement and the winding drum are A mounted one upon the other in such manner that they con'- stitute one single element of the complete device. That is, the winding drum proper is rigidly and permanently secured upon the rotary crank element by means of spacers projecting from the body of the crank element whereby there is attained a winding drum of a diameter suiiiciently great to prevent a too abrucpt winding of the inner end of the tape an yet providing for a. minimum weight of the rotating part of the device by reason of the reduction so made possible in size of the casting or machined element, as the case may be.

The improvement in the stulng boxes is also of paramount importance. By reason of the improved arrangement wherein is used a pair of opposed Babbitt-metal, graphite or other non-abrasing blocks a positive wiping and' -cleaning action is assured. Sockets are formed integrally in the opposing faces of the casing at the entrance end thereof forl the reception of these blocks, these sockets being each provided with set screws in the bases thereof for positive adjustment of the blocks relatively with respect to each other to vary the degree of pressure desired to be had upon the tape.y

Referring specifically to the drawings it i will be seen that the casing consists primarily of two members indicated generally by the reference characters and 11. These members 10 and 11 are each of substantially semi-circular outline having hollow interiors 12 and 13 such that when assembled together with their complementally formed edges in engagement with each other a closed easing is provided in which may be accommodated the measuring ta. e 14, shown in Fig. 1. At

. the rear end of t e members 10 and 11 are provided dovetailed hinge-pin bosses, 15 and 16, respectively, through which extends a hinge pin 17, thus providing-a hinged joint at this end of the casing. At the front or entrance end' of the casing the members 10 and 11 have integrallyl formed therein inwardly projecting portions 18 and 19, these portions being in turn provided with recesses or sockets 20 and 21', respectively, for a pur- .pose to be presently described.

Hinged to one of the casing members,

- preferably to the member 11, at the extreme orward end thereof is a yoke 22 of generally U-shape, the legs and' base of the U being adapted, when swung from the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 rearwardly, to embrace the entrance endsof the casing members. By means of the set-screw 23 passing through the base of the yoke 22 and engagin the upper surface of the casing, the mem ers 10 and 11 are locked firmly into closed position, in the manner larly shown in Figures 1 and 3.

. Each of the casing members 10 and 11l is provided with enlarged semi-circular bosses particu- 24 and 25 which, when the members are locked together, constitute bearings on opposite sides of the casing'in which are seated the respective ends of the journal of the winding drum, which latter will be described hereinafter. In this particular instance the bearing 24 is of greater diameter than the bearing 25, though for the purposes ot' this invention these bearings could well have been of equal diameter. As is best apparent in Figures 1 and 3 the entrance ends of casing membersl 10 and 1l are complementally notched to form a slightly flared opening 26 to provide for an easier entry of the tape into the casing.

The rotary crank unit 27 which is preferably in this instance a. part of the winding drum is shown in perspective in Figure 5. This unit consists essentially of a large journal 28 formed integrally with a smaller journal 29, these journals being adapted to fit respectively in the bearings 24 and 25 in the casing. Formed intermediately of journals 28 and 29 is an enlarged central portion 30 having formed therein depression 31- between the side walls of which is adapted to extend a small pin 32 for attachment thereto in any suitable manner of theinner end of the tape 14. Projecting radially from the exterior surface of the central portion of the crank unit are a plurality of spacers 33 to the free ends of which is secured in permanent fashion preferably a. split annulaimemberv 34. One end- 35 of this member 34 is inwardly oli'sct wi'threspect tothe other thus providing a slot 36 through which the inner end of the tape 14 may pass for securement to the pin 32. (See Figure 1.)

To prevent lateral vdisplacement of the crank unit with respect to the casing integrally formed flanges 37 and 38 are provided at the opposite endsV thereof, these anges embracing the' exterior` surfaces of the bearings 24 and 25, respectively, when the crank unit is ositioned within the casing. Preferably ormed 'integral with the flange 37 is a lateral extension 39 to which is pivoted the crank arm 40. This arm 40 is provided with a handle 41 adapted to seat, when folded out of use, within asocket 42 provided therefor in the body of the crank unit.

The stuffing box is formed integrally at the entrance end of the casing by the provision of the oppositely dis osed sockets 2O and 21 in each of which is isposed a wiper element 43. These wi er elements are preferably formed of Babbitt metal, graphite or some similar non-abrasing material and are arranged by any suitable method to fit snuglsvwithin their respective sockets 20-21.

et screws 44 and 45 passing through the basev walls of the sockets from the exterior ysurfaces of the casing provide a -suitable' tape as the latter passes into the casing through the entrance opening 26 to be wound upon the drum. When the tape is not in use, the wiper elements, due to the pressure exerted upon the tape act as a brake thereon, thus preventing any unintended unwinding.

A handle 46 is provided for the casing, this handle extending substantially from the pivoted end to the entrance end thereof and the main body portion being spaced therefrom a distance suflicient to readily accommodate the fingers. One end 47 of the handle is mounted directly upon the pivot pin 17 while the other end 48 is provided with a projecting tab 49 adapted to overlie the meeting edges of the casing members at one side thereof. The locking yoke 22 is formed with an offset portion 50 adapted to embrace the tab 49 when the casing is locked and ready for use.

By reason of the construction described it will be seen that a tape casing has been provided which may be readily and conveniently opened in the manner particularly shown in Fig. 4 for the insertion or removal of the crank and winding drum unit. Thus all of the elements comprising the device are readily available for purposes ofI clearing and adjustment. Further an arrangement of wiping elements has been provided which not only effectively cleans the tape as it is wound upon the winding drum but it also prevents the entry of any foreign 'substances into the interior of the casing. Still further, these same wiping elements constitute an effective brake on the tape with the re-` sult that a frequent cause of breaks is eliminated.

It is to be understood that various arrangements and modifications other than that described above may be devised, and yet come within the spirit of this invention. Accordingly, it is the intention that the appended claims be construed broadly to cover such alternative arrangements and modifications.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. A tape holding device comprising a pair of diametricall opposed substantially similar members a a ted when fitted together to form a housing bosses of unequal diameters disposed centrally of said members and a rotating element carried b said bearings on journals seated in said earings, the inner walls of said bearings being provided with grooves for receiving a lubricant.

2. A winding drum foi` a measuring tape or a. tape, integral bearing or the like comprising a central body, a plurality of spacing elements projecting radially from the surface of said body, and a split annular member secured rigidly to the free ends of said spacing elements, the adjacent ends of said annular member being relatively offset with respect to each other to accommodate the end of the measuring tape.

3. A winding drum for a measuring tape or the like comprising a central body, awinding surface spaced from and rigidly secured to said body, means in said body for securement rthereto of the inner'end of the tape, said winding surface being provided with means for permitting free access to said securing means.

4. winding drum for a measuring tape or the like arranged to be removably received within a tape casing as a unitary assembly and comprising a central body hav- 'ing reduced oppositely projecting portions,

said portions being integral with said body and forming journals for said drum, and annular flanges at thev outer extremities of said journal portions for preventing lateral displacement of the drum when 1n assembled position in its casing.

5. In a tape holding device, a pair of dia-y metrically opposed similar members adapted when fitted together to form a casing for a tape, a hinge pin passing through adjacent ends of said members to effect a hinged connection therebetween, and a handle for said casing having one end thereof also hingedly mounted upon said hinge pin.

6. A tape casing comprising a pair of complementally formed members adapted when fitted together to form a casing for the tape, a handle for said casing of a lengt-h substantially equal to that of the casing and having its main body portion spaced therefrom, the adjacent ends of said members and handle being hinged together, and a yoke pivotally connected to the free end of one of said members and adapted to commonly embrace the free ends of said other member and said handle whereby to lock the same together.

7. A tape casing comprising a pair of complementally formed members adapted when fitted together to form a casing for a tape, a handle for said casing, said members and handle being hinged together at adjacent ends thereofy and arranged to be locked together by a means embracing the free ends of said members and handle, said means having a portion thereof offsetA to accommodate Y the free end of said handle.

N. H. SHILLMAN. 

